Category: fusion

Easy Rice Balls

~ Sophie ~ 19 Comments

Who likes rice balls? Better yet, have you ever tried making them? I have this endlessly long list of food I would like to try and these rice balls are not missing on the list. Don’t you think these would be awesome at a party? Although everyone has their own way of making rice balls, I think what matters in the end is the ability to retain flavor  and still be a crowd pleaser especially if you are making them for parties. I did achieve the desired flavor, so that is a win for me. You will be surprised at how easy they are to make.

What you will need

3 C. Rice, boiled

3 Medium Irish potatoes, boiled

1 Tbsp. Water

2 Eggs

1 C. Baking flour

1 Green pepper, finely chopped

1 Onion, finely chopped

½ C. Green onions, finely chopped

1 Tsp. Ground ginger

2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped

Salt

Chilli flakes (optional)

Oil for frying

Method

In a bowl, loosen the rice using a fork. In the rice bowl, add the green pepper, onions, ground ginger and garlic and mix together. Set aside. Mash boiled potatoes and add the tablespoon of water.  Add the mashed potatoes in the rice mix. The mashed potatoes act as a binder. Mix in the salt and chilli flakes. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together while adding a pinch of salt. Using your hands, form bite-sized balls and dip them in the egg mix one by one. Dip the egg coated ball in the cup of flour till they are fully covered. Fry the balls till golden brown. The result is a super crunchy exterior and a flavorful interior.

Observations

  1. I recommend short grained rice that is slightly sticky (don’t use long grain rice as it tends to be too loose and dry)
  2. You may add more or less water in the mashed potatoes.

 

I would like to know, what dip/sauce would you eat these rice balls with? Please share in the comments below.

🙂

Sophie

Homemade Cheesy Samosas

~ Sophie ~ 36 Comments

 

As a child, samosas were a special treat. Something we did not have occasionally. It was back when we still bought good samosas filled with flaky rice for mere 100 shillings. When we would save all the 50 shilling coins we could find (because back then they could still buy something) so that we could splurge on an assortment of samosas. Even samosa vendors were hard to come by. They could not sell samosas anyhow because it took great care and patience to make a mouth-watering filling and a crunchy phyllo-like shell. Samosas still are a treat these days because they require an amount of time and effort to make. I realized this when I made my first batch. Although they require a lot of preparation time, the process is simple and the after product is unbeatable. Biting into the flaky shell that melts in your mouth and a filling that bursts with different flavors and textures is worth it.

With my friends at Paramount Dairies, I bring you this classic pea samosa or ‘sumbusa’ if you may, but with cheese! This time I am using the Gouda cheese which has a sharp and strong flavor that takes the samosas to whole new level. Everything gets better with cheese.

What you will need:

Pastry

2 C. Baking flour

8 Tbsp. Butter/Margarine

1/2 C. Water

Oil for frying

 

Filling

2 C. Peas, boiled

Paramount Gouda Cheese, cut into sticks

1 Large carrot, finely chopped

2 Green papers, finely chopped

2 Large tomatoes, finely chopped

2 Medium onions, finely chopped

3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 Tsp. of finely chopped ginger

Salt

Observations:

  1. In this recipe, I used dry peas. If you are using dry peas, Soak them overnight and then boil then for 1 hour or until they are soft to the touch.
  2. If you are working alone, I recommend cutting all the vegetables ahead. This will help ease the load.

 

Method

Pastry

In a dish, combine flour with butter/margarine. Keep mixing until the mixture becomes crumbly. Next, add water. A tablespoon at a time while mixing until you form a firm dough. Divide the dough into six equal balls. Roll each ball into a circle (or something close to it) making sure it is as thin as possible but not nearly breaking. Cut the circles into equal halves. Fold all the halves into cones. Seal the edges by dipping a finger in water and running it across the edge and then pressing together, leaving an opening for the filling.

 

Filling

On medium heat, add a sauce pan. Add two tablespoons of oil and wait for it to become hot. Next, add the ginger and garlic and wait for it to brown a little. Once browned, add the onions and stir. Add the tomatoes and cover pan for close to two minutes. Check if the tomatoes are softened. If they are, add the green paper and carrots. Stir. Add the Peas and Stir. Cover the pan for 5 minutes. Remove lid and stir while adding salt. Keep stirring till the mixture becomes dry (without any liquids left). Remove from fire.

Assembling

Hold Open the Samosa cone and insert a stick of cheese then add a tablespoon of filling. Seal the edges by dipping a finger in water and running it across the edge and then pinch closed. Do this for all the samosa cones.

Over high heat, put a pan with oil for frying. Wait for it to become hot (this may take five minutes or more). Fry the samosas until they turn golden brown. Serve warm

Are you convinced to make your own now? Let me know how they turn out in the comments below.

🙂

Sophie

Note: You can find Paramount Gouda Cheese in major supermarkets in Kampala.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

~ Sophie ~ 16 Comments

A few months ago, I found this video on YouTube about discovering Uganda. By the time the video was done, I was awestruck. Amazed by the beauty, I binge-watched all the videos that were available in two days!  It is amazing the beauty that this country has and we don’t even know. In one of the episodes, there was this lodge where all the structures were built with smooth river stones. I personally think that is a neat idea and absolutely creative not to mention environmental friendly. So, in that episode, they served dinner to the host and there was this butternut squash soup. As I watched the chef do his magic, that squash soup called out to my soul. And I was thinking: I have to make this squash/pumpkin soup ASAP. Does that happen to you? When you see a show (cooking particularly) and you just feel the need to be doing something related. It was after many trials that this soup materialized with the perfect blend of flavors and textures. Instead of butternut squash, I used a pumpkin because I am yet to find out the difference between the two.

What you will need:

1 Small pumpkin

3 Tomatoes

1 Large purple onion

4 Garlic cloves

1 Tsp. Ginger

2 ¼ C. Milk

1 C. Water

Cooking oil

Ground black pepper

Chili flakes

Salt

Observations:

  1. Use a mature firm pumpkin.
  2. Mature pumpkins have hard covers which will need to be discarded. But if they are soft and tender, they can be blended.
  3. If you don’t have a blender, use a glass to mash the pumpkin while adding milk so that you can get a smooth consistency.
  4. For better results, you will need to use full cream milk. I recommend the Jesa brand.
  5. For your desired consistency, you will need less or more milk.

Method

Wash pumpkin and cut it into squares. On high heat, put the pumpkin pieces with water in a pan and bring to a boil. Remove from fire once pumpkin is tender and a fork can go right through the pieces. Drain water and let them cool. Chop the tomatoes, crushed garlic,  and onions. Using a large spoon, scrape the pumpkin out if its cover. Measure three cups of pumpkin flesh and then put them in a blender.Add the milk and blend till smooth. In a sauce pan, add two tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic, ginger and salt and stir till slightly browned. Add onions and tomatoes and keep stirring till tomatoes are soft. Add curry powder and stir well. Next add the pureed pumpkin and stir well. Keep adding a little water while stirring until you reach your desired consistency. Sprinkle in a generous amount of black pepper and chili flakes. Let the soup boil for 10 minutes. Remove from fire.

For the garnish: Thinly slice radish. Thinly chop a garlic clove. On high heat, put a teaspoon of oil in a pan. Add the radish and garlic  and let one side of the thinly sliced radish brown while the garlic darkens. Sprinkle with salt. Remove from fire and add to the soup just before serving.

I personally think that the show is amazing because it showcases beauty that we sometimes take for granted. As I add visiting these amazing places to my bucket list and day-dream, I will be enjoying this pumpkin soup.. Join me!

🙂

Sophie